Matthew 16
Matthew 16:6:
“Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” |
A Clay Jar: Guard Against the Yeast of the Pharisees – Matthew 16:6
Yeast is a single-celled microorganism that feeds on carbohydrates and produces fermentation. It is used in baking to make bread rise and in brewing some types of alcohol. |
Matthew 16:18-19:
AND I TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE PETER, AND ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HADES WILL NOT OVERCOME IT. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven" |
The very first time we see the term church used in the New Testament is when Jesus said to Peter, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). The English word church is the translation of a Greek term, “ekklesia” which means, “a called out assembly.” The term can have a couple of meanings in reference to God’s people. For instance, it can be centered on the universal church (or as the Apostles’ Creed refers to it: the holy catholic church), or it can be a reference to a local assembly, such as the church at Ephesus.
By the very definition of the church, assembling is part of what the people of God do on a regular basis. Yet, during this season of social distancing due to a pandemic that has nearly shut down the entire modern world—the church must continue to worship. We are called to worship God, and yet, even in our very best attempts, our worship is incomplete. (SOURCE: Delivered By Grace |
Matthew 16:24-26:
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? |
|
All systems for spiritualizing their mind generally includes some form of denial. Every religion in all the ages had some sort of denial. The problem I usually see with this “in action” is that those who “have not” and call it “denial” then require those who “have” for their provisions.
Our Lord saw that Peter regarded the cross as the wrong way for the Messiah, and he rebuked Peter, declaring that life is warfare, and all those who follow him must engage in that warfare. Christ’s cross is redemptive; our sufferings at the hands of Christs enemies are because of our willingness to stand with Christ as His people. We must deny the old Adam in ourselves and voluntarily bear the cross, stand with the new Adam as the old humanity wages war against Him.
Our Lord saw that Peter regarded the cross as the wrong way for the Messiah, and he rebuked Peter, declaring that life is warfare, and all those who follow him must engage in that warfare. Christ’s cross is redemptive; our sufferings at the hands of Christs enemies are because of our willingness to stand with Christ as His people. We must deny the old Adam in ourselves and voluntarily bear the cross, stand with the new Adam as the old humanity wages war against Him.
Matthew 16:25:
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. |
I see the verse as two parts of an affirmation of reality: 1) Anyone who applies effort to save his life will, in the end, lose it. (religion?) 2) But he who exchanges his life for Jesus, will find it. These are both inevitable realities for all men. These were the words of Jesus to his disciples, just after reprimanding Peter who had just suffered a moment of religiousness. When Jesus told his disciples that he was to suffer and be killed, Peter rose up and said “this will not happen to you!” To which the Lord rebuked him “Get thee behind me Satan.” We have all met well intended religious folks who want to claim that Christianity involves no pain, but all know this is just not so. CS Lewis said “Die before you die. There is no chance after.”
|